The present invention relates to a diffuser for diffusing volatile substances by application of water vapour.
It is known to bubble steam through an essential oil for diffusing the oil into the atmosphere of the room containing the diffuser.
Many volatile substances are contained in dried organic/plant/vegetable matter and gums and resins; and can be released by passing water vapour over the matter.
The object of the invention is to provide a diffuser for diffusing such volatile substances.
According to the invention there is provided a diffuser comprising:
a housing;
a liquid container in the housing;
a heater for the liquid container, adapted to heat the container sufficiently to vaporise liquid in the container; and
a support for holding volatilisable-substance matter above the liquid container.
Whilst it can be envisaged particularly for automotive use that the liquid container be substantially closedxe2x80x94with of course a water vapour outletxe2x80x94normally the liquid container will be open within the housing.
Also, although it can be envisaged that the support could be integral with the liquid container, it is preferably provided on an extension of the housing above the container.
A perforate member, such as a grid or grill, could be provided for the volatilisable-substance matter. This will normally be provided as the original organic/plant/vegetable form, albeit dried. In an alternative,. it may be provided in the form of an extract such as an essential oil. For volatilisation, the extract may be applied to an absorbent padxe2x80x94such as of foam or felt materialxe2x80x94supported on the grid, or into a smaller containerxe2x80x94such as a dishxe2x80x94again supported on the grid. However, the volatilisable-substance matter is preferably provided in a disposable packet, itself supportable directly on the support.
Normally a perforate cover will be provided over the support.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a disposable packet of volatilisable-substance matter for use with the diffuser of the invention, the packet comprising:
a porous envelope, which is at once sufficiently porous to allow passage of steam and sufficiently strong to retain its integrity in steam,
a rim adapted to fit the diffuser""s support and
a quantity of volatilisable-substance matter enclosed within the porous envelope.
In the preferred embodiment, the envelope comprises an upper web and a lower web, each of tissue and each attached to the rim. Preferably, the webs and the rim are of cellulose material.